Canada's Naval History

Second World War
Battle of the Atlantic - The Battle of the St. Lawrence

The struggle on the Atlantic between Allied navies and German U-Boats (submarines) brought the naval war into Canada, turning the river and Gulf of St. Lawrence into a battleground. From 1942, German U-Boats sank 23 merchant and naval ships; improvements in anti-submarine defences ultimately stemmed these losses.

German U-Boat Navigation Handbook

This 1943 handbook helped German U-Boats (submarines) navigate the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Marked "Secret!" (Geheim!) and bearing the national insignia of Nazi Germany, this volume covered the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Two other volumes covered the waters off Newfoundland and the southern part of Nova Scotia, part of a much larger series of navigational handbooks. This example was recovered from U-190 after it surrendered in May 1945.

George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 19730174-002a